Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "All I Ever Am" by The Cure:  The Cure are one of the most celebrated and influential alt-rock bands of all time, so naturally, when news hit in fall of last year that they'd be releasing a new album, avid fans of the band were all abuzz! While the first single, "Alone," seemed too long and spacious to make a lasting impact on adult alt radio, the second single, "A Fragile Thing," had far more appeal! Now up a third time at bat, The Cure's "All I Ever Am" is yet another song of theirs that hearkens back to their gloomy yet lovely vintage '80s sound. The song starts with an orchestral-sounding synth, but as soon as the drums start pounding in, so does the bass, masquerading as a fuzz guitar here. "All I Ever Am" is a bit of a long song at around 5 and a half minutes, but it's also a catchy one, so I think it'll fare well on adult alt radio. "Cry Baby" by Sunny War (featuring Valerie June):  B...

 here they are: "A Fragile Thing" by The Cure:  Was The Cure's last single, "Alone," too long for ya? Fear not, then, because they have a shorter song for ya! The second single from The Cure's latest album in over 15 years, "A Fragile Thing" is a moody song, in typical Cure fashion, but it bases its sound with piano as its core instrument instead of relying on an orchestral wall of sound the way "Alone" seemed to. The guitar slowly seeps in, crescendoing to a solo towards the middle, but nothing too loud (I mean when have The Cure ever been too loud?! It's not their style!) The lyrics are more typical of an actual Cure song than "Alone" was. Instead of wallowing in despair and isolation, "A Fragile Thing" is a love song, which most Cure songs are, but more a love song in the way it depicts love as enduring than it is in the traditional way. "Aren't We One?" by My Morning Jacket:  Another song that sta...

 here they are: "Alone" by The Cure:  One of the best-known and best-loved goth rock bands of all time have released their first single in nearly 15 years! And how does it hold up?! Its lonesome, spacey atmosphere does make "Alone" sound like a classic Cure song circa 1989. Much like "Pictures of You," there are no words in the first few minutes of "Alone," setting up the song's melancholy mood before the lyrics even start! Speaking of which, the lyrics are also classic Cure. Robert Smith drearily yet dreamily about how isolated he feels from the world. The lyrics are a hallmark of what The Cure were best known for in their heyday. If you need a song of hopelessness and despair that also feels like a warm hug in the cold snow, "Alone" is your song! "Audacious" by Franz Ferdinand:  "The Strokes go ska" is probably a good description for Franz Ferdinand's latest song, "Audacious"! The fuzz guitars of ...